Chapter 4: Introducing Zeref (kinda)
Fiore:
Two children, of pink and blond hair, laughing and running, kicking and somersaulting around the palace's courtyard, not caring why they were at the same castle for days on end, with their parents' solemn expressions at every turn. The only feeling of weightlessness allowed was the in the courtyard.
"C'mon Luce! You can't catch me, give up sucker!"
"Don't be so mean you butt! I'm gonna pummel you!" Lucy yelled, as she caught her arm around his neck and they immediately tumble down into the dirt, limbs flailing everywhere, giggles and yelps can be heard throughout the booming kingdom of Fiore.
Everything is beautiful. The Kingdoms may, in fact, save the future of the Skies. Queen Layla sits on her balcony with a fond look on her face, enjoying the future peace that will be perfectly rested on her baby girl. The future. Her future. Her expression turns sour.
"The past won't be easily ignored, Layla. It'll destroy everything you ever hope to create. You know it."
She turns her head towards the dark-haired man in the doorway. He is watching the two in the courtyard and spares no glance at her. She flashes him a mirthless smile and looks back at her child, "You're right. I do know, but I also know that the future can counteract-"
"Wrong." She looks up startled by her husband, now standing behind Zeref, "You are completely wrong Layla. The future is as bleak as the past, and the bond we're trying to establish is completely useless unless-"
"You will shut your mouth. As long as I'm breathing I will try with all my might to make sure that our child will understand our mistakes and fixes them with a smile," she sighs, "She will not grow up blind,"
"Your ways will kill her," Zeref says softly.
"They'll make her strong," Layla counteracts.
"They'll destroy her," Jude says, finalizing his view and the conversation and storms off into the castle.
"He's not wrong." Zeref says while Layla huffs indignantly, "Maybe you should do better than your parents once did." He says, now looking at her.
"My parents kept me from understanding. My parents are the reason why I ran away. We are done with this conversation now. Get me Igneel," she said, her voice shaking in anger, "we have the wedding to discuss."
"Of course, your Majesty," Zeref all but sneered, while putting his arm out and bowing lower than needed before leaving.
"Acnologia will not be patient with us this time," She muttered to herself, aware that Zeref can still hear her. Devilish hearing her has, "he gets what he wants, and we get to live in peace."
She hears him huff and his boots stomping away.